


Miecz przeznaczenia

by Coffee_Lotus



Series: Geraskier One Shots [3]
Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Light Angst, No Romance, One-Sided Attraction, the witcher books
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-19 07:36:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29622846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coffee_Lotus/pseuds/Coffee_Lotus
Summary: After singing for a wonderful audience, Jaskier retires to his room. Before settling into a nice, warm bath, his peaceful evening is interrupted by a single book sitting on his bed.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia & Jaskier | Dandelion, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Series: Geraskier One Shots [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2171613
Kudos: 10





	Miecz przeznaczenia

The future is something difficult to think about. So many choices and possibilities depend on which road one will take and where it leads them in the end. Some would like to keep their future's clouded, wanting their end to be unexpected, something they couldn't possibly predict. Others wanted to know how and when their story would end, and some thought of how to avoid it.

Jaskier thought about his future. He played different scenarios in his head, but never spoke of them to others. His hopes thoughts on who he would be, how his life would change or remain, were best kept to himself. Most of what he wanted in his later life, were things he knew he couldn't have. Not now... not ever.

However, the bard had no choice in knowing or not knowing his future. Or at least... a different version of his future. A different version of himself.

When Jaskier was finished entertaining the villagers in the town he stayed in, he'll admit- just this once- he was really tired. Forty-two years old and bouncing around like he was eighteen again was beginning to wear out his body.

As a maiden prepared his bath in the room, Jaskier set his lute on the bed, stopping from stepping away when he caught sight of a small book next to where he had placed the instrument. Last he had been up here, four hours ago, the book had not been there.

"Excuse me," Jaskier caught the attention of the brunette girl before she left. Her face flushed, as if she expected something. "Did anyone come up here by any chance?"

Disappointment crossed her features, she even huffed. "No. Not at all." Then she fled from the room, her steps heavier than before.

The book on the bed was carmine, not to be confused with maroon. Jaskier could tell the book was loved. It was not bent in any way, there were no pages with folds on the edges... perhaps it was brand new instead. But the color wasn't on the brunette's main page in curiosity...

There was a drawing of a dragon on the front, leaning down to reach for a man with white hair riding a horse, something he recognized immediately as a match to Geralt and Roach, as well as the dragon from the mountain. " ***** 'Wiedźmin: 'Miecz przeznaczenia." Jaskier read aloud after picking up the book. His eyes widened at the title, adding to the shock from the recognition of the wolf. It was enough for the book to fall to the floor with a thud. A hand flew to his mouth and he took a step back. **(*The Witcher: The Sword Of Destiny)**

Jaskier took a moment to fix his composure. His breathing was heavy and his heart was running at a speed that he couldn't keep up with. "How the..." He was talking, or rather asking, no one the question. The room was unoccupied besides himself.

Instead of continuing his panic session, he slowly got undressed and picked up the book. Maybe his heart would slow in reading this, whatever it may be. The bath he had prepared needed to be calming anyway, something to soothe his aching muscles.

After lowering himself into the bath then finding a comfortable position to sit in, Jaskier picked up the book once more and began to read.

He stayed up all night reading.

While the original owner had not folded the ears of the pages, Jaskier did exactly that. As he read, he took note of some meetings between himself and Geralt... These encounters were much nicer and different from reality-- he couldn't help in saving those times, those times that didn't exist with himself and reality's Geralt.

They were so _friendly_ with one another. So _kind_. If someone else were to read the book, they would immediately believe the two are best friends, one not annoyed with the other over singing and poetry, and not to _mention_ what happened on the mountain.

It made him angry, of course it did. The person who had written their travels, Andrzej Sapkowski, was all over the place with their encounters. It was so _different._ And what hurt the most about reading the book, was the fact of everything written was Jaskier's dreams of his future.

Although the events already passed, there was more to look at in terms of his wants. The kindness Geralt showed... oh how he longed for that. The way each contract was taken care of, on both his and Geralt's sides. Why couldn't it be this way?

The sun is far up in the sky when the bard finishes reading. There are deep and dark bags under his eyes, showing he had not slept. Perhaps he could talk to the innkeeper about staying another night...

No. Jaskier slid off the bed and stretched his limbs with a yawn. Best not to stay in one place for too long, unless requested and given more coin. There was always a small voice of anxiety in the back of his head telling him that Geralt could show at any moment, and the end result playing in his head for that moment was not pretty.

Jaskier prepared his bag for travel silently, mostly because he'd be rambling to himself. _'Save it for the road.'_ The only time people would see him on the path was if he passed by a town, or travelers were walking the same way. They also mistook his mumbling for singing quietly.

There was a part of him itching, telling him to leave the book on the bed. It wasn't his, even if he'd treated it like his own property. Whoever left it on the bed must have done it by accident. So, Jaskier left it there.

Coin was hard to come across without Jaskier. Geralt found that out very quickly. Most of it was due to people's views on him, and how he would treat people with _different_ views on him. But it wasn't like he could go back and change what happened on the mountain. What's done was done.

This inn was different from the others. The people greeted him with kindness and thanked him for finishing off the pack of ghouls surrounding their town.

His tip was much higher than the others as well. The innkeeper admitted that someone had come through, talking highly of the White Wolf through music and song. (Geralt had also given the innkeeper's daughter justice)

"First room on the right, and I'll have a bath drawn for you as well." The innkeeper pointed with his finger upward. "Would you like a meal sent up as well?"

Geralt mumbled a ' _yes_ ' and ' _thank you_ '. His mind focused on the person who had come through the town, singing his praises. Jaskier? Probably not... he was most likely angry, even if that was several months ago. The bard held grudges for a long time, Valdo Marx was a good example.

The first thing he saw when entering the room was a red book on the bed. Geralt reached for it with furrowed brows--

"The last person who was here left that." The woman who was drawing his bath explained. Geralt arched a brow at her, silently asking for more information. "Brunette bard who sang about you. Maybe you can give it to him when you meet up again."

When the woman left, Geralt examined the book again, not having been given the chance to really look at it. His mouth parted when he read the title aloud: "'Wiedźmin: Miecz przeznaczenia'. Andrzej Sapkowski..."

There were many questions that crossed the witcher's mind, but they were pushed aside. He would read the book once the blood on his body and armor was gone.

**Author's Note:**

> It is very true that the books differ from the Netflix adaptation. Geralt and Dandelion "Jaskier" have a different relationship on the occasion. I would recommend reading the books as well. And for whoever is reading this, the next one-shot will be fluffy and contain more of this ship. I just had to get all the angst out.


End file.
